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Cynthia Cassell

Mum and Dad, Mr and Mrs William Cassell, had three children. Peter was the eldest, then myself and David. In the early 1950s we lived in one of the flats at Brook House, in flat 5. It was lovely there, nice big rooms and windows. Mr and Mrs Oakley lived in flat 3, but not for very long. I remember Mr and Mrs George Humber and Renella living there too.

In 1952 I was working in Brighstone and so was my best friend Pauline Hayles. Mr and Mrs Hayles lived in the Gardener’s Cottage at Brook Hill House, her dad was the gardener there. Pauline had a brother, David. Pauline and I both used to cycle to Brighstone to work in Coopers’ shop, we went everywhere together. Long walks on the downs, picking primroses in the woods in the estate grounds, we also went to the local youth club in the Seely Hall at Brook. I think it was on Thursday evenings a few boys from Brighstone came along too. That’s where I met my future husband, Albert Cassell. I married Albert in 1957 in Brook Church. I didn’t have to change my surname as we both had the name of Cassell. After our marriage we lived in Chilton Lane. Oh what happy days they were.